Groups call for asylum reform ahead of World Refugee Day
Civic groups, DPP lawmakers, and Control Yuan members urged Taiwan’s government to enact a refugee law and improve asylum transparency ahead of World Refugee Day, citing delays in processing over 60 temporary registration applications. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) faces criticism for lacking clear review criteria, leaving asylum seekers without legal work rights or basic protections for over two years.
Civil society organizations, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers, and Control Yuan members called on Taiwan’s government to establish a refugee law and reform its asylum system ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20. The appeal came after a Control Yuan report found that asylum cases are processed through administrative discretion due to the absence of a dedicated legal framework, resulting in prolonged delays for over 60 pending applications for temporary alien registration certificates. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) has yet to issue any certificates, despite promising employment rights, health insurance, and education access for approved applicants. Most applications remain unresolved for over two years, with no clear review procedures or assessment standards, forcing asylum seekers into illegal work to survive. DPP lawmaker Lin Yueh-chin criticized the system as ‘a dead end,’ emphasizing that the government must provide basic human rights protections, including labor rights and medical care. Control Yuan members Chi Hui-jung and Kao Yung-cheng highlighted that the 2023 amendment to the Immigration Act included a resolution requiring the Ministry of the Interior to consult on basic living assistance for asylum seekers. However, no concrete measures have been implemented, leaving support efforts to non-governmental organizations. Amnesty International Taiwan’s Chiu E-ling cited international reviews urging Taiwan to align its asylum system with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Lawmakers Wang Cheng-hsu and Lin Yueh-chin pledged to push for legislation to institutionalize a transparent, rights-based asylum process. They called for cross-ministerial coordination between the interior, labor, health, and education ministries to streamline protections. The groups stressed that without legal reforms, Taiwan’s asylum system will continue to fail basic human rights obligations, leaving vulnerable populations in legal limbo.
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